the phone exchange ; h.r

sixteen

"So you met Mark?" Blake asks me as I finish putting my bags into the back of the Uber. Today is the day we leave for tour, first stop is New York. Then after that we fly to England. Since it is a European tour and all.

"Yep, I did" I reply. "Well, just a little FYI, he has a reputation of hitting on girls he knows he can't have, so, if he does that to you, and you don't like it, come to me and I'll tell him to knock it off, okay?" He faces me and smiles.

So, you know how I said Ariel is like my sister? Well, over time, Blake and I got really close, and he's now taken the role of my big brother. Since my actual brother is away in collage.

"Okay, thanks" I smile weakly, doubting that Mark is that way. He seemed to genuine.

I take out my phone and check if there is any messages or calls from my mom. There aren't any. Today is my birthday, and she's not home.

Go figure.

"Everything okay?" Blake asks, seeing the disappointment plastered all over my face. I nod my head, "I'll just be right back."

I turn and walk down the road, just enough so they can't hear me, and I hover my finger over my mom's number.

I press dial.

It rings for a few seconds, then surprisingly, someone answers. "Mom?" I ask hopefully. "Um, no. This is Talia, who's this?" A voice, that I do not recognize answers the call.

I sigh, "This is Aubree, I'm calling for Julia Bennett, she's my mom, is she there?" I ask, wondering why someone else has her phone.

"Oh! Aubree! Your mom has talked so much about you, she's right at the front, she left her phone by accident, I'll get her for you." she says.

I don't say anything, I just let the silence fill the end of the phone while I patiently wait for my mom to come to the phone.

A few minutes later, someone picks it up. "Aubree?" My mom's voice fills my ears. "Hey, mom! Everything okay at work?" I ask.

"Hey sweetheart, happy birthday! and everything is going great, how's everything going with the tour? Having fun yet?" she changed the subject, typical.

"Thanks, and we actually haven't left yet, but so far so good. So when are you coming home?" I question, before she can say anything else.

"About that... they want me to stay for a couple more-" I cut her words off, knowing what she's about to say.

"On my birthday?" I fight back the tears that are trying to emerge from under my eyelids. "I'm so sorry sweetie, I really want to be there, you know I do-"

"But work is more important right? You're not going to be here, Noah's not going to be here, mom, it's my birthday." Suddenly my voice changes from sad, to angry and confused.

"I'm so sorry hunny, I'll make it up to you, I promise, but I have to go, I love you!" she finishes and I hang up. A tear rolls down my face, followed by many. It's my 16th birthday and my family isn't even here to celebrate it.

Noah, my brother, has tests he had to study for, and my mom has work. Hunter, Blake and Ariel probably have no idea that it's my birthday, so I have no one.

My mom always does this. She misses important family times. It's not a surprise, it's just really disappointing.

I run into my house, (we decided to meet up here) and run past Hunter, Ariel and Mark, disregarding their calling out my name.

I go into my room, then I open my little trap door that leads down to a secret room.

I'm the only one who knows about this, it's my place I go to when I need to think.